Control valve,particularly for the air supply to a gas burner



May 26, 1970 w. 0. TEAGUE, JR.. ET AL 3,514,073

CONTROL VALVE, PARTICULARLY FOR THE AIR SUPPLY TO A GAS BURNER FiledJan. 23, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet l ANTHONY R MONTALBANO BY d u m w ATTORNEYSINVENTORS WALTER DORWIN TEAGUE,J!.

May 26, 1970 w. D. TEAGUE, JR. ET AL CONTROL VALVE, PARTICULARLY FOR THEAIR SUPPLY TO A GAS BURNER Filed Jan. 23, 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet o N Rn mmmL mu Tnh w w l la mi m A v L Q i HUI mix Tm g mm M ER w Km hm 9% $4 RQ Q\L T r rllrr v l QM! T n G m J wm & 5. n ..-F w l b g MN M 1 N UFUATTORNEYS May 26, 1970 w. o. TEAGUE, JR.. ET AL 3,514,078

CONTROL VALVE, PARTICULARLY FOR THE AIR SUPPLY TO A GAS BURNER FiledJan. 23. 1967 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR WALTER ooawm TEAGUE,Jr.

ANTHONY P. MONTALBANO ATTORNEYS United States Patent CONTROL VALVE,PARTICULARLY FOR THE AIR SUPPLY TO A GAS BURNER Walter Dorwin Teague,Jr., Nyack, N.Y., and Anthony P. Montalbano, Fresh Meadows, N.J.,assignors to Columbia Gas System Service Corporation, New York, N.Y., acorporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 610,981

Int. Cl. F16k 25/00 U.S. Cl. 137625.3 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A slide valve is disclosed through which air under pressureis supplied to the burner of a gas stove. The valve is a rectangularopening which is surrounded by a thin rectangular seal assembly formedby two sheet plastic diaphragms providing seals upon the opposite sidesof a flat rectangular side. The diaphragms are rectangular frames arounda rectangular opening, and the slide moves transversely of that opening.At one limit of movement of the slide, the opening is completely blockedby the slide. At the other limit of that movement, a number of orificesthrough the slide are in alignment with the opening through thediaphragms. Hence, the slide may be moved to position a selected numberof the orifices in alignment with the opening, thus to regulate theamount of air flow.

This invention is related to that disclosed in the copending applicationof the present inventors and Charles W. Fromm, U.S. Ser. No. 610,980,filed Jan. 23, 1967.

This invention relates to control valves, particularly for supplying airand providing overall control for the burner units of a stove or rangeof the household or commercial type.

An object of this invention is to provide improved control means for theflow of gas and the like. A further object is to provide improved manualcontrols for stoves and ranges of the household and commercial types.Another object is to provide flow control means for gases, for example,for supplying air to gas burners. A further object is to provide for theabove with structures which are compact, sturdy, easily operated andadjusted, eflicient and dependable in use, and adaptable to a widevariety of conditions which are met with in the design and use of suchstructures. These and other objects will be in part obvious and in partpointed out below.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view with parts broken away of one embodiment ofthe invention;

FIGS. 2 and 4 are sectional views respectively on the lines 2-2 and 44of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and,

FIG. 5 is a schematic electrical control circuit.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a flat-top stove or cooking range 2has a base shell construction 4 with a flat top 6 in the form of a plateof heat resistant glass which transmits radiant heat as well as heat byconduction. Positioned directly beneath plate 6 are four infraredradiant burner units 8, 10, 12 and 14, which are identical, and of theconstruction of unit 12 which is shown in FIG. 4. Stove or range 2includes a control housing 5 centrally positioned in the front of thebase shell construction (see FIG. 2). Control housing 5 encloses a gasand air control assembly 7 including for each of the burner units an airflow control valve 9, a gas cut-off 11, a gas-flow pressure regulator 13and a gas-mixing venturi 15. Venturi unit 15 maintains a nearstoichiometric mixture ratio of the ice gas and air for infraredradiation operation of its burner unit.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the operation of each of the burner units, 8,10, 12 and 14 is under the respective control of slides 32, 34, 36 and38 (see also FIG. 2) mounted at the top of the control housing 5. Theseslides are identical and each of them may be moved, as represented inFIG. 1, from the fully-closed or off position of slide 38 to thefully-open position of slide 32. Each of these slides controls thesupplying of gas and air to its burner unit, and it also energizes theigniter unit. Positioned to the rear of burner unit 14 is a blower 40which draws in fresh air at 42 and delivers it under pressure through aconduit 44 to an air supply manifold 46 (see also FIG. 2) of the airsupply control assembly 48.

Manifold 46 has a side wall 50 and a top wall 52 which is mountedthereon by a row of screws 53. The bottom of the manifold is formed by avalve plate 54 which has four rectangular openings respectively inalignment with slides 32, 34, 36 and 38, and there is a rim 57 whichoverlies a flange 59 at the bottom of wall 50. Positioned beneath themanifold is a valve plate 61 which is generally coextensive with valveplate 54 and which has slots in which the slides are mounted. Mountedrespectively above and below each of the slides and mounted back to backis a pair of identical Teflon diaphragms 64 and 66. Each diaphragm has acentral fiat sealing portion (68 and 69 respectively), resting againstthe surface of the slide and a peripheral flange (70 and 71,respectively). Flange 70 is positioned between flange 59 of manifold 46and valve plate 54, and flange 71 is positioned between valve plate 61and a coextensive top surface of control housing 5. As shown best inFIGS. 1 and 3, the valve plates and the manifold are clamped to the topof the control housing 5 by five rows of screws 73 which are parallel tothe edges of the slides, respectively, between the slides and at theends of the manifold. Additional screws clamp valve plate 54 to flange59. Hence, the periphery of each of the diaphragms is clamped by itsvalve plate and its central portion is somewhat resiliently supported incontact with the surface of its slide.

Each of the diaphragms has a centrally positioned and somewhatrectangular or oblong opening 72 which is closed by the slide when theslide is positioned in the fully-closed position shown. At the left ofthe center of the slide there is a series of holes or orifices 74through the slide, which bear sub-numbers 1 to 8. Hence, as the slide ismoved to the right from the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, hole 741first moves into alignment with or is exposed to openings 72 in itsdiaphragms 64 and 66, thus to provide an orifice or opening frommanifold 46 to manifold 56. Upon further movement additional orificesare exposed to the openings 72 in the two diaphragms, thus providing forthe increase of the flow of air into manifold 56, with the maximum beingwhen all of the orifices 74 are exposed to the openings 72.

Diaphragms 64 and 66 provide very satisfactory seals for theirrespective manifolds, and they provide for free movement so that theslide may be positioned very easily with great accuracy. Also, whenthere is pressure within the manifold, the diaphragm is pressed againstthe slide so as to insure the proper sealing. The sizes and positioningof the orifices 74 are such as to provide a predetermined increase inthe rate of flow of air into manifold 56 as the slide is moved towardits fully opened position. The slide bears indicia in the form ofnumbered lines to aid in providing the desired rate of flow. As will befurther explained below, the rate of flow of the air determines the rateof flow of the gas to the burner unit and therefore controls theoperation of the burner unit from the standpoint of the amount of heatproduced. 'Each of the slides (see FIGS. 2 and 3) has a handle 33 with amain body portion 35 and an upturned flange 37 Which is grasped by thefingers to move the slide between the fully-closed and fully-openpositions. It has been found that this particular handle is ideal forquick and accurate adjustment of the slides. Also, when all of theslides are in the fully-closed position, the flanges 37 of the varioushandles are in alignment. Hence, if any of the slides is not in itsfully-closed position, it will be quickly apparent to the observer.

As shown in the right-hand portion of FIG. 2, gases are supplied to thestove through a horizontal gas-supply manifold 80 extending along thefront of the stove and connected to each of the gas cut-off valves 11.'Each of the gas cut-ofi valves 11 has a non-magnetic body 82 with thevalve closure being formed by a valve seat 84 and a steel ball 86 whichis moved from and to the valve seat to open and close the valve. Whenthe valve is in the open position as shown in full lines, gas flows frommanifold 80 to the left through a passageway 88 and downwardly aroundball 86' and past the valve seat through the valve opening to a gassupply chamber 100. The valve is opened and closed by the action of acylindrical magnet 90 which is slidable vertically in the housing andguided by a pin 92 mounted at its upper end. Magnet 90 and ball 86 areurged downwardly by gravity and by a coil spring 94 mounted in the upperend of the magnet and they move upwardly only when the magnet isattracted by magnetic material above it. Accordingly, the slide 36 is bfmagnetic steel and it has a disk insert 96 of non-magnetic materialwhich is moved into axial alignment with magnet 90 when the slide is inthe fullyclosed position. Hence, when a slide is positioned as shown inFIG. 2 or further to the right, magnet 90 is attracted to the slide andit lifts itself upwardly to the position of FIG. 2 and carries with itthe steel ball 86 so as to open the valve. However, when any of theslides is moved to the fully-closed position, the non-magnetic disk 96is in axial alignment with magnet 90 and the magnet is no longer drawnupwardly by attraction to the slide and it moves downwardly by thecombined action of gravity and spring 94 and closes the valve.

With this arrangement, the first movement of any of the slides from itsfully-closed position opens its gas cutoff valve 11 so as.to permit gasto flow from the manifold 90 to the supply chamber 100. The gas flowinginto supply chamber 100 passes through gas-flow regulator 13 and achamber 104 to the venturi unit 15. Regulator 13 restricts the flow in amanner which is dependent upon the air pressure in manifold 56, namely,so as to maintain the gas pressure in chamber 104 at all times equal tothe air pressure in manifold 56. Regulator 13 has a movable member 106carried upon a stem from a diaphragm 108. Diaphragm 108 is urgedupwardly by the gas pressure in chamber 104 with the aid of a coilspring 110, and it is urged downwardly by the pressure of the air in achamber 112 above the diaphragm. Chamber 112 is connected to manifold 56through a small opening 114, so that the air pressure in chamber 112 isthe same as in manifold 56, except that the small size of opening 114dampens the response to changes in the air pressure. Hence, when the airsupply to manifold 56 is reduced, the reduced pressure in chamber 112permits spring 110 to move member 106 upwardly so as to reduce the rateof gas flow. However, when the slide is moved outwardly so as toincrease the rate of air flow, the pressure in manifold 56 is increasedandthere is the same increase in the pressure in chamber 112 which actsupon diaphragm 108 to increase the gas flow. In this way regulator 102acts automatically at all times to maintain the gas pressure in chamber104 equal to the air pressure in manifold 56.

From chamber 104 the gas flows through orifice 105 to an annular chamber107 and thence through a plurality of radial holes 109 where it joinsthe stream of air 4 flowing to the burner unit. Orifice has thecharacteristic that when the pressure in chamber 104 is equal to thepressure in manifold 56 gas is delivered to the air stream in thedesired ratio. Hence, with the position of slide 36 controlling the rateat which air flows to the burner unit, the air pressure in manifold 56acts through regulator 13 to produce an equal gas pressure in chamber104, and there is a resultant gas flow through orifice 105 which givesthe desired gas-air mixture to the burner unit. The respective massflows of air as Wu and gas as Wg may be expressed as follows:

F1 and F2 are constants, and P represents the pressure in thecorrespondingly numebered zone. Regulator 13 insures that P104 equalsP56. Holes 109 are relatively large in relation to the amount of gasflowing through them, so that P127 in the venturi throat equals P107.Therefore (P56-P127)"*=(P1()4P107) and so Wg FZ I In other words themixture ratio of gas and air is a constant and depends on the values ofF1 and F2. The actual value of F2 is dependent on the size of theorifice 105 so that by selecting various sizes of orifice 105 themixture ratio of gas and air can be varied to suit the particular typeof gas available. Also a restricting screw 122 may be adjusted so thatits needle end 124 projects into the entrance to the orifice so as toadapt the orifice for the alternative gas supply. For this adjustment a.

screw plug 126 is provided which may be removed.

Referring to FIG. 4, burner unit 12 has a cylindrical plenum chamber 16to which the proper gas-air mixture is supplied through its duct 18, andwhich has its top closed by a concave infrared burner element 20 of thewire-mesh type. Mounted in the side of hot gas chamber 22 is an ignitorunit 30 which is energized to ignite the burner unit. Extending betweenthe top of plenum chamber 16 is the hot gas chamber 22, the top edge ofwhich rests against the bottom surface of plate 6 and is sealed by aceramic fiber gasket 24. A flue 26 extends from an opening in hot gaschamber 22 to an exhaust flue, and the elevated pressure permits thedischarge of the products of combustion outside the building. Hence, theproducts of combustion are not discharged in the vicinity of the stove.

FIG. 5 is schematic and includes a representation of the electricalsystem. In alignment with each of the slides, there is a switch which isheld in its open position by the end of its slide whenever the slide isin the fullyclosed position. These switches are in parallel, and theclosing of any one of them connects the electrical supply to all of theignitors 30 and also to the electric motor 112 of the blower. The firstmovement of any one of the slides from its fully-closed position opensits gas cut-off valve 11, and it also closes its electric switch 110'which energizes blower motor 112 and the ignitors 30. The ignitors areof known type which operate with very small current consumption, and itis satisfactory to energize all of the ignitors whenever any burner unitis being used. How- 'ever, under some circumstances it is desirable toprovide a separate switch for each of the ignitors and to energize eachignitor only when its burner is to be used.

It has been pointed out above that plate 6 is of heatresistant glasswhich transmits infrared radiation. In producing the glass it isrendered somewhat translucent or opaque so that it prevents viewing therange components beneath the plate, except for a yellow glow when aburner unit is operating. It has been discovered that this glass has acolor response to heat, which is very desirable in this particular use.Whenever one of the burner units is operating, it produces infraredradiation which passes through the disk portion of the plate 6 abovethat burner unit, and that disk portion of the plate is heated byradiation and condition from the hot gases beneath it. As thetemperature of the heated disk portion rises, it turns a greenish color,and that indicates to the user that particular burner unit is operatingand that its plate portion is hot. Hence, the greenish-colored disk actsas a safety feature or warning, and guards against inadvertentlytouching the heated disk portion or placing combustible material uponit.

In the illustrative embodiment, the air-gas ratio is of the order oftwelve to one at a fuel consumption rate of the order of 12,000 B.t.u.per minute. The elevation above ambient of the air pressure in manifold46 is of the order of 1.8 to 2 inches of water. The air pressure inmanifold 56 is not greater than that in manifold 46, and the gaspressure in chamber 104 is equal to the air pressure in manifold 56. Thedrop in pressure between chamber 104 and passageways 109 during maximumgas flow is of the order of 5 to 6 inches of water.

The present invention relates to the air-flow control valve 9 formed bythe slides 32, 34, 3 6 and 38. While the illustrative embodiment of theinvention is a household or commercial range, the valve is adaptable forother uses, and the scope of the invention is set forth in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a control valve of the character described, a valve member havinga side face, a sealing diaphragm of thin, flexible sheet materialpositioned along said side face and having an opening therethrough, saiddiaphragm having a sealing portion in close juxtaposition along itswhole extent upon said side face to provide a fluid seal therealong anda laterally extending peripheral mounting portion fixed to said valve,and means providing a confining zone for retaining fluid under pressureexposed to said sealing portion and urging said sealing portion againstsaid side face, and mounting means for said member to permit movementthereof parallel to the general plane of said side face.

2. In a control valve as described in claim 1 wherein said sealingdiaphragm comprises a flexible sheet of Teflon.

3. The control valve as defined in claim 1 wherein said peripheralmounting portion is connected to said sealing portion by a generallylaterally extending offsetting portion which supports said sealingportion in offset relationship to said mounting portion and presses saidsealing portion against said side face of said valve member whereby saidcentral portion is initially urged against said side face by saidoffsetting portion and is additionally urged in tight sealingrelationship and in close juxtaposition therewith by said fluid underpressure to provide an extended sealing area against said valve memberbetween said offsetting portion and the edge of said diaphragm opening.

4. The control valve as described in claim 3 wherein said valve memberincludes an elongated valve slide having a side face on opposite sidesthereof and a second sealing diaphragm which is substantially identicalwith the first-mentioned diaphragm, wherein the sealing portions of eachof said diaphragms rest respectively in intimate contact with itsassociated side face.

5. In a valve, the combination of a fixed valve structure having a fluidinlet portion and a fluid outlet portion, a valve slide, having a valveopening extending therethrough, mounted in said valve structure andadapted to move between an open valve position wherein said inletportion is connected through said valve opening to said outlet portionand a closed valve position wherein said slide separates said inletportion from said outlet portion, and a valve seal means of thin,flexible sheet material having a laterally extending peripheral mountingportion fixed to said valve structure and a flexible central sealingportion in close juxtaposition to the surface of said valve slide whichis exposed to fluid under pressure in said inlet portion whereby saidsealing portion is maintained in intimate contact along its whole extentagainst said valve slide under the action of said fluid under pressureand provides a sealing relationship therewith.

6. The valve as described in claim 5 wherein said laterally extendingperipheral mounting portion comprises a peripheral flange fixed to saidvalve structure in spaced relation to said slide and an offsettingportion connecting said sealing portion and said flange, which supportssaid sealing portion in offset relationship to said flange and pressessaid sealing portion against said slide whereby said sealing portion isinitially urged against said slide by said offsetting portion and isadditionally urged in tight sealing relationship therewith by said fluidunder pressure.

7. A valve structure as described in claim 5 which includes a secondvalve seal means substantially identical with the first-mentioned valveseal means, said valve seal means being mounted in back-to-backrelationship upon the opposite sides of said valve slide andrespectively providing seals for said inlet portion and said outletportion.

8. A valve structure as described in claim 5 wherein said valve sealmeans has an opening therethrough, and wherein said opening in saidslide which is in alignment with said opening in said valve seal meanswhen said valve is in the open-valve position.

9. A valve structure as described in claim 8 wherein said slide has aplurality of openings therethrough which are exposed progressively tosaid opening in said valve seal means thereby to provide a progressivelyincreasing area of opening between said inlet portion and said outletportion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,732,l 1/1956 Shand 251l722,394,243 2/ 1946 Joyce 251368 2,780,232 2/1957 Ney 251206 3,144,2388/1964 Williams 251-206 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,114,153 12/1955 France.

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner L. G. MACHLIN, Assistant Examiner US.Cl. X.R. 25l1'72

